Valve



Jan. 7, 1947. s HAMEB' 2,413,869

VALVE Filed June 11, 1940 Patented Jan. 7, 1947 VALVE Leland S. Hamer, Long' Beach, Calif., assillor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Falcon Products, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 11, 1940, Serial No. 339,917

8 Claims. (Cl. 251-127) This invention relates to valves and relates more particularly to valves of the class employed in slush pumps, and like devices. A general object of the invention is to provide an effective longwearing valve of the class mentioned.

The valves of slush pumps and other pumps handling uid under high pressures are subjected to severe impacts and to considerable Wear. It is the usual practice to provide valves of this kind with what are known as inserts to absorb or dampen the impact and to assist in sealing with the seats. The insert is usually a disc or ring of rubber held on the upper part of the valve by a retaining plate or nut and projecting from the periphery of the valve above the metal sealing face of the valve. The peripheral portion of the insert is exposed toseal downwardly against the seat and to be acted on by the iluid pressure in the valve chest, which pressure forces it against the seat. The exposed portion of the insert absorbs liquid and swells because of this absorption. in. many cases the insert swells to such a size that'it will not pass through the opening in the upper wall of the valve chest, making it very difflcult to remove the valve when the valve or seat require repair or replacement. Further, the insert often wears away or cuts out along a line occurring at the upper peripheral corner of the valve sealing face. It is believed that this cutting action of the insert occurs because the insert is under tension at this point when the fluid under high pressure passes between the valve and seat as the valve begins to open and this fluid under high pressure cuts into the stretched or tensioned rubber. Attempts have been made to correct these defects by arranging the insert in agroove in the lower face of the valve with ports provided in the valve to admit fluid pressure behind the insert. Valves having the inserts arranged in grooves have not proved entirely satisfactory because the pressures on the insert are unequal and the ports and groove become clogged with sand or particles of solid matter.

' Another object of this invention is to provide a pump valve embodying a novel insert that cannot expand or swell to any appreciable extent.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pump valve in which the under sideof the insert, at the upper end of/ the valve sealing face, remains unstressed and substantially free of tension under all operating conditions, so that the uid discharging past the valve as the valve opens vAnother object of this invention is to provide a pump valve of the character mentioned in which the peripheral active portion of the insert is exposed and unconned to be fully and evenly acted upon by the uid pressure in the valve chest.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pump valve embodying a restraining ring set in the periphery of the insert to prevent or limit the lateral or radial swelling of the insert and to prevent stretching and tensioning of the exposed portion of the insert.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pump valve of the character referred to that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, the inclusion of the restraining ring adding but little to the cost of the valve.

The various objects and features of my invention-will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the aecompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the improved valve ci' the present invention in position on a, valve seat, and Fig. 2 is a vertical detailed sectional view of the valve and valve seat showing the valve in the closed position.

The present invention may be embodied in valves varying considerably in form and use. In the drawing I have shown the invention embodied in a slush pump valve for cooperating with a readily removable valve seat S of the character described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 319,701, filed February 1 9, 1940, which issued as Patent Number 2,271,137 on January 27, 1942. The seat S is an annular member set in a tapered opening O in the pump frame or valve chest wall W. The periphery of the seat S is tapered to ,fit the tapered opening O. -A web I0 is provided in the seat S andv has a central vertical opening I I. A port I 2 in the web I0 leads outwardly through the seat S to a groove I3 formed in the periphery of the seat. -A sealing ring I4 is proyided in the groove I3, Pressure admitted to the port I2 by a uid pressure means (not shown) is delivered to the inner portion of the groove I3 behind'the ring I4 and aets through the medium of the sealing ring I4 to expand the metal of the wall W around the opening O to free the seat S for ready removal. This action is fully described in my co-pending application referred to above. The seat S is provided with a suitably designed tapered sealing face I5 and has a dat horizontal upper face I6 lat the upper end of the tapered sealing face I5. It is to be understood that the4 valve of the invention is not 'restricted erally disc-shaped member.

surfaces.

20 having a sealing surface 2| for sealing .with

the face I of the seat S, an insert 22 carried by the valve 20 adapted to seal with the end' face I6 of the seat S, means 23 for removably retaining the insert 22 on the valve body 20, and a ring 24 associated with the insert 22 to limit expansion 'and stressing of the same.

The valve body 20 is the main element of the valve and as illustrated may be an integral, gen- The periphery of the valve body 28 is tapered and designed to evenly and eectively seal with the face I5 of the seat S, being shaped to'constitute the sealing surface 2|. A fiuted stem 25 projects from the lower end of the valve body 20 and is slidable in the opening II to guide the valve. The upper end of the valve body 281s shaped tojreceive the insert 22 and the retaining means 23. A

fiat, generallyhorizontal shelf 26 of substantial area extends inwarndly from the upper end of the sealing surface 2| to an abrupt or vertical shoulder 21. The parts are related so that the shelf 26 is ush with the end face I6 of the seat S when the valve is in its closed position. A second shelf 2 8 extends inwardly from the shoulder 21 to a central boss29 of the body 20. The. shelves 26 and 28 are preferably annular andl concentric. The usual guide stem 30 extends upwardly from the boss 29. It will be observed that the body 20. iust described, is of simple construction.

The insert 22 is a sealing element formed of rubber, synthetic rubber, rubber composition, or other yielding resilient sealing material. In the preferred construction the insert 22 is an annular or ring-shaped part having flat upper and lower sides and' cylindrical concentric inner and outer The insert 22 seats or rests on the shelf 26 and its inner side or internal surface bears on the vertical shoulder 21. The upper face or surface of the` insert 22 is substantially flush with the shelf 28. In accordance with the invention the insert 22 is proportioned to extend 4 outwardly' beyond. or to overhang, the valve yondMthe sealing surface 2l of the body 20, which surface 3| is adapted to cooperate and seal with the end face I6 of the seat S when the va1ve,is

in its closed position. The periphery of the insert 22 is fully exposed to the fluid pressure in the valve chest.

The means 23 serves toretain the insert 22 on the valve body 20 and is such that the insert may be easily removed from the body for replacement. In accordance with the broader as.- pects of the invention the retaining means 23 may be of any suitable type and construction. In the form of the invention illustratedthe means 23 comprises a retaining plate 32 engaging over the shelfl 28 and the insert 22. The plate 32 is annular or ring-shaped and is passed down over the boss 29.- The lower side' of theplate 32 is fiat and horizontal to evenly bear on the iiat upper side of the insert 22. In accordance with .the invention the retaining plate 32 is smaller:

so that the insert 22 has its upper surface exl posed to the fluid pressure beyond the periphery of the retaining plate 32.

An annular groove 33 is formed in the boss 29 and a spring clip'or-lock 34 is sprung into the groove 33. I'he lock 34 is engaged inthe groove 33 and cooperates with the upper side of the plate 32 to hold the plate in position. The clip or lock 34 is such that it may be spread and disengaged from the groove 33 to permit upward removal of the plate 32 and the insert 22. It will be observed that the insert 22 retained on the valve body '20 in the manner just described has its major portion conned by@ the shelf 26, shoulder 2'I and plate 32 and has a peripheral portion of substantial, size that is fully exposed -to the v:duid pressure. This exposed peripheral portion of the insert 22 is the active part of the insert and operates to bearand seal against the end face I6 of the seat S.

The ring 24 is provided to prevent excessive swelling of the insert 22 and to prevent stressing or tensioning of the insert. The restraining ring the invention that the ring 24 does not inter-A fere with the free sealing action Aof the insert 22 or the even distribution o f pressures on the in- I sert. The restraining ring 24 may be a continuous ring of metal, or the like, and is preferably substantially unyielding. As illustrated, the ring 24 may be square or rectangular in cross section. The vertical dimension of the ring 24 vis considerably less than that of the insert 22-and the ring is preferably inset in the periphery of the insert between theupper and lower sides of the insert. In the construction illustrated'an annular groove 35 is formed in the periphery of the insert 22 substantially -midway between the upper and lower faces of the insert to receive the restraining ring 24. The ring 24 may either be sprung into the groove 35 by suitable manipulating of the insert and ring .or may -be molded or vulcanized in the groove. The outer surface or periphery of the ring 24 may be ush with the periphery of the insert 22. The depth or radial thickness of the ring 24 may, of course, be varied'. In the arrangement illustrated the radial thickness of the ring 24 is substantially equal to the radialextent of the exposed upper surface of the insert.

The invention contemplates the provision of `the pump strokes, in the well known manner.

. With the valve in -the closed position the sealing surface 2l seals with the face I5 and the under surface 3| of the insert 22 seals against the end Vface I8 of the seat S. The fluid pressure above the valve actsdownwardly on the body 2l to urge the surface 2l against the face I5 and acts direct- 1y against the exposed portion of the insert 22 to hold lthe surface 2| in tightsealing cooperation with the end face I6'. 'I'hus there is a metal to vmetall sealing engagement Abetween'v the seat S and the valve body 20 and a rubber to metal sealing engagement between the seat S and the in YYYsert 2 2. The heavy uid pressures that may be applied tothe insert 22 .both directly against the exposed siu'faces of .the insert and through the medium ei the retaining plete n Ldistort and ex'- *pand the insett22 -to a minimum extent. The

restraining ring v24'engaged about or set in the periphery of the insert 22 prevents or at least limits the radial expansion of the insert by the imposed pressures. The restraining ring 2l set in the periphery of the insert 22 also prevents or limits radial swelling or expansion -of the insert that might otherwiseresult from the absorption of liquids. Such absorption of liquids by the rubber insert 22jcannot cause appreciable radial swelling of the insert. Accordingly, the'insert 22 never becomes much larger in diameter than when initially installed and never interferes `with :the free end easy removalof the valve through the access opening in the top of the valve chest, The restraining ring 24 being set or embedded in the periphery of the insert 22 does not in any way limit or interfere with the balanced distributed f application o f-fluid pressure on .the insert which te the peripheral portion' er the bodyl for limiting V, radlal expansion and tensioning of the body while allowing axial ilexure thereof. l.

3. An insert for a pump valve comprising an lannular' body of rubber. or the like having gen. I

erally parallel upper and lower sides, the peripheral portion of -the lower side forming a' sealing face, and a metal ring'carried on the peripheral portion of thebody above, the outer edge portion of the sealing face for limiting expansion and tensioning of the \body, the ring being-spaced from the upper and lower sides of the body and being'coniined to said peripheral portion so that .it does not interfere'witli axialiiexure ofthe body.

4. In combination with a'valve lseat having'a generally fiat upper face and a facevsloping inwardly away from the upper face', a valve body operates to hold theinsert in effective sealing contact with the end face I6 of the seat S.

When the valve begins to open the liuid under high pressure discharges upwardly between the face I and thesealing surface 2| andthis fluid under pressure strikes the under surface-3| of the insert 22. In conventional slush pump valves this fluid under pressure impinging against the under surface of the insert quicklyV cuts into and wears away the rubber insert due to-the fact that the fluid pressures on the insert hold the lower exposed part of the insert under tension and the liuid impinging against the stretched tensioned rubber soon cuts'it away. In the improved construction of the present invention the restraining ring 24 set in the insert 22 at its periphery prevents stretching and outward tensioning of .the

insert so that Athe lower surface 3| of the insertA is unstressed and untensioned. The upwardly directed iiuid under pressure impinging against this yielding u-nstretched and uns-tressed surface 3| does not cut into the rubber and wears the insert to a minimum extent. The restraining ring 24 greatlyA prolongs the elfective life of the insert 22 by preventing .tensioning of that portion of the insert that is impinged against by the iiuid under pressure.' When the valve recloses the lower surface 3| of the insert 22 comes into contact with the end face I6 of the seat S to dampen .the impact of the sealing surface 2| with the seat face I5 and to again seal with the seat face I8. After extended use the insert "22 may become worn. The clip or lock 35 is easily disengaged from the groove 33 so that the plate 32 may be removed to expose the insert 22 for removal. new or replacement insert 22 carrying a restraining ring 24vmay be quickly installed on the valve.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish -to be limited or restricted tothe specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve .to myself any variations or modifications that-may 'appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of .the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A sealing insert for a pump valve comprising a generally fiat annular body of yielding sealing material, and a substantially rigid ring at the periphery of the body to be substantially ush therewith and confined to the peripheral part of the body and confining the body against radial expansion.

having a sloping lower face for sealing withl the sloping face of the seat and a generally flat upwardly facing shelf at the upper end of .the lower face; the shelf. being parallel with and lying in substantially the same plane as said upperface when said sloping faces are in engagementa generally fiat flexible resilient sealing disc resting on the shelf and proportioned to freely project radially beyond the shelf to have a free annular ,projecting portion whose lower side is adapted to seal with said upper face of the seat and whose periphery and upper side are exposed to action of fluid pressure, means engaging the disc inward of said portion to retain it on the shelf, and a substantiallyl rigid ring on said portion of the sealing disc for limiting radial distortion and swelling of said portion while allowing said portion to iioat and ex under the action of the fluid pressure.

5. In combination with a valve seat having a generally iiat upper face and a face sloping inwardly away from the upper face, a valve body having a sloping lower face for sealing with the sloping face of the seat anda generally flat upwardly facing shelf at the upper end of the lower face, the shelf being parallel with and lying in substantially the same plane as said upper face when said sloping faces are in engagement, a generally flat flexible resilient sealing disc resting on the shelf and proportioned to have a free lip portion projecting radially beyond the shelf, the lower side of the lip being adapted to sal with said upper face of the seat while the periphery and upper side of the lip are exposed to action of fluid pressure, means for engaging the upper side of the disc inward of the lip to retain the disc on the shelf and leaving the lip of the disc exposed, and a substantially rigid ring conned to the periphery of said lip of the disc for limiting l.distortion thereof while allowing free fiexure thereof so that the lip may have effective-sealing shelf at the upper end of its sealing face which jis parallel with and lies in substantially the same plane as said upper end of the seat when said sealing faces are in cooperation, an annular sealing insert of flexible resilient material having substantially parallel upper and lowersides and 2.1An insert for a pump valve comprising a generally iiat annular body of rubber, or the like. and a rigid metal ring carried on and confined arranged with the inner edge portion ofits lower side on the shelf, thejnsert being proportioned to extend freely radially beyond the shelf and sealing face of the, body to have a free floating Y insert on the'shelf ananas A l part of said oating portion so that it does not interfere with the. free vertical ilexure` of said free iloating portion.

'7. A sealing insert for use in a pump valve so v its peripheral portion projects to form a sealing part comprising a washer-like annular body or -yielding sealing material 'with`a peripheral por-` rigid member recessed in the iloating portion and spaced bel tion having an end sealing iace and a the seat, a retainer the insert at outer edge, peripheral outer edge and a rigid ring applied tofthe said to be co'niined thereto and to be spaced i'rom the sealing face.

8. A sealing insert for use in a pump valve comprising a washer-like annular body of yieldperipheral y ing sealing material with aninner edge portion adapted to be having a lfree flexible radially projecting outer engaged and held by the valve and 1 lip portion with a substantially fiat radially disposed sealing face and an outer edge substantially axially disposed and provided intermediate its ends with an yannular groove, and a rigid retaining ring applied to the groove to conne the body against radial expansion and confined to the outer edge so the sealing face is unobstructed.

`nanANDs.HASMCER. 

